Security Council Programme of Work for July 2026
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the president of the Security Council in July. Council members adopted the provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (1 July).
The DRC will organise two signature events this month. The first is a high-level open debate on “Natural resource governance: the foundation of peace, security and prosperity” under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. DRC President Félix Tshisekedi is expected to chair the meeting, during which UN Secretary-General António Guterres is scheduled to brief.
The DRC also plans to convene an Arria-formula meeting on natural resources this month under the theme: “Assessment of the normative gap regarding natural resources and peace: foundations and prospects”. The DRC’s Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Francophonie, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, is expected to chair the meeting. At today’s press briefing on July’s programme of work, Ambassador Zénon Mukongo Ngay (the DRC) noted that the open debate and the Arria-formula meeting will help to inform discussions about a potential standalone Council product on natural resource governance.
The DRC’s second signature event is the Council’s annual open debate on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), which this year will be held under the theme “Honouring the promise of international law to survivors of conflict-related sexual violence”. DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka is expected to chair the meeting. Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten and one or more civil society representatives are expected to brief.
This month, the Security Council will hold an open debate to discuss the Secretary-General’s report to be submitted pursuant to resolution 2788 of 22 July 2025, which was authored by Pakistan and focused on the peaceful settlement of disputes. Guterres is expected to brief.
The Council’s quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” will also take place in July. Deputy Special Coordinator and Resident Coordinator at the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) Ramiz Alakbarov is scheduled to brief. High Representative of the Board of Peace (BoP) to Gaza Nickolay Mladenov may also brief at the open debate. Additional meetings on this file might be convened depending on developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
Several other Middle Eastern issues are on the programme this month.
The Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the monthly reporting requirement on Houthi attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, which expires on 15 July.
The Council will also hold its monthly meeting on political and the humanitarian developments in Syria. Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone and a representative from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are expected to brief.
Regarding Lebanon, there will be a briefing in consultations on the implementation of resolution 1701, which in 2006 called for a cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. The Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL), Jean Arnault, and Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix are the anticipated briefers.
An additional meeting on developments in the Middle East has already been scheduled for tomorrow (2 July). Bahrain requested the meeting following Iranian strikes on its territory that occurred on 28 June.
The Council will also address several African issues in July.
Council members are expected to vote on a draft resolution extending the 2745 Central African Republic (CAR) sanctions regime and the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 2745 Sanctions Committee, which expire on 31 July and 31 August, respectively.
International Criminal Court (ICC) Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan will provide the semi-annual briefing on the ICC’s activities related to the situation in Darfur.
There will also be an open briefing on West Africa and the Sahel. Special Representative and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) Leonardo Santos Simão is the anticipated briefer. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
Regarding the Americas, the Council will hold an open briefing on the situation in Haiti. Special Representative and Head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) Carlos Ruiz Massieu is expected to brief. Special Representative for the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) Jack Christofides may also brief. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
The Security Council will also hold its quarterly open briefing on Colombia this month. Special Representative and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia Miroslav Jenča is expected to brief. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow.
On European issues, Council members will receive a briefing in consultations on Cyprus and the work of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) from Special Representative and Head of UNFICYP Khassim Diagne.
As in previous months, the Council may also hold one or more meetings on Ukraine in July.
The only Asian issue on the programme this month is the biannual consultations on the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA). Special Representative and Head of UNRCCA Kaha Imnadze is the anticipated briefer.
Regarding non-proliferation issues, the Council is expected to hold a briefing on the implementation of resolution 2231 of 20 July 2015, which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme. Bahrain, Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, and the UK requested the meeting on 25 June to discuss the Secretary-General’s latest report on the implementation of resolution 2231, which is dated 19 June. At the time of writing, the meeting has yet to be scheduled.
Council members are expected to continue discussing the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) and the extension of the term of the IRMCT’s Chief Prosecutor, Serge Brammertz. Difficult negotiations precluded Council members from agreeing on the extension ahead of its expiry on 30 June.
Members will also continue following closely the crisis in the Middle East and any spillover effects, such as the disruption to the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the situation in Sudan. They may choose to convene meetings on these or other issues, depending on developments.
In July, Council members will continue meeting with candidates for the position of UN Secretary-General. They are also expected to begin conducting “straw polls” to gauge support for the candidates.
